Portrait Gallery
Essay Preview: Portrait Gallery
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American Museum of Art/Portrait Gallery
The exhibition for jewelry at the Smithsonian American Art Museum displayed extraordinary pieces that really caught the eye. There were 6 pieces that attracted my attention the most and one was the Squash Blossom Earrings. The earrings were sterling silver and Carico Lake turquoise. Carico Lake turquoise is dense in zinc, which produces its unique bright green color. It was named for the string of flared “squash blossom” beads and the centerpiece called the maja (pronounced “naahdja”) meaning “crescent” in Navajo. The origin of the name is uncertain, because the beads do not actually look like squash blossoms, but the necklace itself, that matches, has become well known in Navajo silversmithing history. The Squash Blossom earrings form dates back to the late sixteenth century, when Spain began colonizing the Four Corners region of the United States.
The second piece of jewelry that caught my attention was the Squash Blossom Necklace. Related to the earrings it has the same aspects and has a unique look that matches the earrings in a distinctive way. The necklace and earrings were designed by Andy Cadman who was born in Gallup, NM, 1966. The cuff bracelet by Miye Matsukata was an extraordinary piece that was one of my favorites. Miye Matsukata was born Tokyo, 1922 — died Boston, MA, 1981. The bracelet was something that I would wear myself and so would anyone else. In 1968, Miye Matsukata said, “I would like to maintain a spirit of design that is quiet and free. I feel metal can have a life if it has motion and less rigid confines.” With the layering of liquid shapes, this bracelet assumes the lightness she hoped to achieve. The cuff had rubies, sapphire and was gold.
The Double Ring is 18K gold with lapis lazuli. Lapis lazuli (sometimes abbreviated to lapis) is a semi-precious stone prized since antiquity for its intense blue color. It illustrates Harold O’ Connor’s ability to create settings that, in his own words, make the stones “seem to float, while preserving a solid, almost spiritual unity of composition.” The brighter stones and high-karat gold are typical of